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It's a big day downtown. The Westminster Beer & BBQ Stroll takes over Main Street today from noon to 4 p.m., with 20-plus breweries and distilleries, live music, and a few dozen food vendors. Just up the road, Brewery Fire Taphouse opens its doors for the first time in 140 Village. Not a bad Saturday for people who like food and beverages.
On the news front: a suspicious canister at Sheetz on Route 140 at Sullivan Road prompted a closure and a multi-agency response Friday, before bomb technicians cleared the scene. Everything's fine, but it made for a long Friday on Route 140.
The Outdoor School story continues. Three candidates running for the Carroll County school board — Walsh, Maisano, and Hinkhaus — have weighed in on how the board handled the 5–0 vote to end overnight stays, and none are happy with the process, even if some understand the outcome.
There’s all that and more below. Let's get into it.
🍺 Westminster Beer & BBQ Stroll on Main Street — Today, Noon–4 p.m.
The annual Beer & BBQ Stroll takes over downtown Westminster today, Saturday, June 20, from noon to 4 p.m., featuring craft beer, wine, and spirits sampling from more than 20 producers, along with two dozen food vendors and live music on five stages. General admission is $15 at the gates (kids 12 and under free) and includes two drink tokens. Free parking in any Westminster municipal lot.
🔥 Brewery Fire Taphouse opens today in Westminster — Today at 11 a.m.
Brewery Fire Taphouse opens Saturday, June 20, at 530 Jermor Lane in the 140 Village Shopping Center, bringing a new sit-down bar and kitchen to Westminster. The taphouse pours 10 beers brewed at Brewery Fire's original Taneytown location alongside guest taps from Pub Dog, Liquidity Ale Works, and 1623 Brewing Co., plus a full menu of house cocktails, mocktails, wine, and more.
🚨 Suspicious canister at Sheetz closes Route 140 for three hours
A canister labeled as containing military-grade explosives was reported at the Sheetz at 10 Sullivan Road in Westminster on Friday morning, triggering evacuations and a full closure of Maryland Route 140 in both directions. An employee found the canister near a gasoline pump and called Westminster Police. Multiple agencies responded, including the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Maryland State Police, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
🏫 School board candidates question Outdoor School vote process
Three of the six candidates running for Carroll County school board — Julie Walsh, Lisa Maisano, and Shannon Hinkhaus — have all pushed back on how the 5–0 vote to end overnight Outdoor School was handled, even as some expressed understanding of the underlying safety concerns. All three cited the lack of public notice and transparency.
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🎵 Free Sunday concerts return to Westminster parks in July
Westminster Recreation & Parks is bringing back its Summer Sunday Concert Series with a free show every Sunday evening in July, each at a different city venue. The series kicks off July 5 at Westminster Municipal Pool with the Luvable Idiots & Friends and free pool access during the show. July 12 brings bluegrass to Belle Grove Square with Maryland State Fiddle Champion Katelynn Casper & The Night Bloom. July 19 features WAMMIE Award-winners the JoGo Project — a DC-based GoGo/Funk/Jazz band — at Dutterer Park. The series closes July 26 at Wakefield Valley Park Event Center with soul-rock act American Darling. All shows run 6–8 p.m., are free, and require no registration. Food and snowball trucks are on-site each night.
🎓 McDaniel College opens campus to summer camps and programs
McDaniel College is hosting dozens of youth camps, clinics, and community events on its Westminster campus from now through late July, covering sports, performing arts, and college readiness. Sports camps include soccer ID clinics, a Nike Field Hockey Camp (June 22–24), Nike Girls Basketball (June 27–29), Boys Lacrosse (June 29–July 2), wrestling, baseball, volleyball, football, and more. Community highlights include Juneteenth in Carroll on Saturday, June 27, and Common Ground on the Hill Traditions Week (July 5–10), with free evening programming. Most programs require advance registration.
That's the Wire for this Saturday. Enjoy the stroll.
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